Window-operating mechanism



April 8 1924. 1,489,548

B. W. ROBERTS ET AL v WINDOW OPERATING MECHANISM 2 Sheets-Shea BENJAMINW. 20135 2, JAME-s E. H00so Filed Sept. 5

Patented Apr. 8, 1924.

UNITED STATES 1,4s9,54s PATENT OFFICE.

BENJAMIN WILLIAMS ROBERTS AND JAMES ERNEST HOIJSON, OF dHESTER, ENGLAND.

WINDOW-OPERATING MECHANISM.

Application filed September 5, 1923. Serial No. 661,002.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, BENJAMIN WIL- LIAMS Ronnnrs and JAMES ERNESTHODSON, subjects of the King of Great Britain, residing in Chester, inthe county of Chester, England, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Window-Operat ing Mechanisms, of which the following isa specification.

This invention relates to window. ope-ratin mechanisms and isparticularly applicable to the windows of vehicles such as closedcarriages, railway cars and automobiles, and the object is to provideeasily manipulated means for moving such windows into the closed, openor partly open positions and for retaining them in said positions, and,in the preferred form, to so arrange such means that the window may beopened, or closed, or partly opened by the use of the one hand only. Themechanism comprises ;a lever actuated by a spring through a compensatingcam so shaped that a roller on the end of the lever resses on the underedge of the window wlth a substantially uniform upward force somewhatgreater than that necessary to counter-balance the weight of the windowand to overcome friction; and means adapted by frictional engagement ofthe window to retain it in the closed, open, or partly open position.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in whichFigs. 1 and 2 show the general arrangement, Fig. 1 bein an insideelevation of a hinged door suitable for a vehicle and fitted with awindow, the inside lining-of the door being omitted to show themechanism. Fig. 2 being a side elevation in section on the line II, IIof Fig. 1. Fig. 2 is a fragmentary section to an enlarged scale on'theline III, III of Fig. 1.

Figs. 3 to 12 show the preferred form of retaining device; Fig. 3 beingan elevation viewed from the inside, and Fig. 4 a corre sponding plan.Figs. 5, 6 and 7 are respectively, an end elevation, a section on theline VI, VI of Fig. 3, anda section on the line VII, VII of Fig. 3. Fig.8 is a view similar to Fig. 7 but shows the pivoted member tilted by thecam-handle so that the roller is clear of the window. Figs. 9 and 10 arerespectively, a fragmentary end elevation and a fragmentary plan of theratchet and paw]. Fig. 11 is a fragmentary rear view.

showing the handle cam operated. Figs. 9 and 10 are to an enlargedscale.

F lgs. 12 and 13 which are an elevation, and a section on the line XIII,XIII-show a modification of the pivoted member.

A is the doorof the vehicle com-prising the usual door framing, in thevertical members a of which grooves a. are formed in which the window Bslides freely. In the example illustrated the window is of the framelemtype and consists of a sheet of glass of suitable thickness, the edgesof which are ground to a true and smooth shape so as to slide in thegrooves a. The window is fitted with an operating grip 12 secured nearthe top edge by cementing, or 1n any other convenient manner. The door Ais fitted with the usual inside and outside linings a and a the outerlining being usually polished and the inner lining upholstered.

lVithin the space formed below the window opening and between these twolininlgs a lever C is located, which lever is fulcrumed on a spindle 0carried in a bracket D secured in any convenient manner to the 1 insideof one of the vertical members a of the door frame. The free end of thelever C' carries a. roller 0 pivoted on a stud c which roller has aperipheral groove 0 which is adapted to engage with and roll on theunder horizontal edge 6 of the window B. Attached to the lever C andpref erably made integral with it is a cam c, the periphery of which isshaped as hereinafter described to take a flexible tension member D,which may conveniently be a roller chain as shown. This chain at the endal is connected to the lever through a hook 0 adapted to engage theappropriate link. The member D is carried round a guide roller say asprocket wheel E carried on a bracket e secured to one of the door framemembers a and the end (Z of the chain is connected to one end P of aspring F which may conveniently be a cylindrical spiral spring the otherend f of which is anchored to a hook G, the shank g of which is screwedand fits the screw-threaded bore of a bracket 9 secured to the sidemember a of the door frame.

The upward vertical pressure exerted onthe slot the tension in the sprinand the shape of the peripheral surface 0 the cam c, and the latter isso shaped that it com ensates for variation in the inclination of t esaid line, and for variation in the tension of the s ring F, so that thecombination transmits for holding the window in its closed, openorintermediate position, comprises, accordin to one modification, a claming member pivotally attached to a fixe member K attached by screwing tothe horizontal surface of a recess L formed in the cross member a of thedoor frame. The pivoted clamping member H has two side cheeks 72. having00-- axial holes fitting pivot pins h screwing into screw-threaded holesformed in the corre s onding side cheeks k of the fixed member 1?. Atits central portion the clamping member H has a depending art h the laneof which is located some istance away aterally from the pivoting axis;and a facing to co-act with a cam is formed on the art it, such facingis conveniently formed y roviding a slot h in the member 72. the sur aceof the bottom edge of the slot forming such facing h. Oscillatorymovement is imparted to the pivotal member H about the pins h by meansof a handle-cam J havlng a cam surface 3' formed at the end of its boss51', the bore 7' of which fits a stud or bolt I screwing into ascrew-threaded hole k formed in the boss k of the fixed member K; thebore of J is enlarged at y" and a spring is inserted between theshoulder of the enlarged bore and the head i of the stud I. This screwprevents any rattling of the handle cam on the stud. Springs M initiallycompressed are interposed between the pivotal member H and the fixedmember K, which springs are retained in place by ribs h and k formed onthe respective members and tend normally to press the top portion of thepivotal member towards the window. When the cam surface 7' is horizontalit bears on the uhpper face it of the lower edge of 5 in the part 713,and limits the pivotal movement of the clamping member H towardsthewindow; the upper edge of the slot k bears on the boss 7' of the handlecam J and so limits the pivotal movement of the clamping member H awayfrom the window. The clamping member H is provided with a roller N ofvulcanized rubber or the like, the journals n of the roller fittingbearings formed in the cheeks it formed on the clamping member. One ofthe journals n at one end extends through the bearing and has keyed toit a ratchet n fitted with a pawl n pivoted on thestud .n carried fromthe member H and provided with a spring n"; the pawl and ratchet are soarranged that rotation of the roller N in that direction in which theside nearest the window turns 11 wardly is prevented, whilst freerotation in the opposite direction is permitted. Before the pivotalmember reaches the limit of its pivotal movement towards the windowdefined by the engagement of the cam 7' when horizontal with the face hof the slot, the roller N makes contact with the window, being pressedinto contact therewith by the springs M.

The action of the spring F and lever C which as stated always tend toraise the window is prevented from raising the window when the roller Nis in spring-pressed contact with the window; the window is thereforeretained in its closed, full-open or any partly-open position in whichit may be moved. Opening movement, however, may be imparted to thewindow by simply ressing the catch 12 downwardly, the rol er N thenrotating in its bearings. Should it be desired to raise the window, thecam handle J is operated so that the cam j by engagement with the faceh", pivots the member H away from the window, and so withdraws theroller N from contact with the window, whereupon the spring F and leverC raise the window. It will be seen that the operation of closing thewindow, or of opening it, may be performed by the passenger by the useof one hand only.

In cases where there is no objection to the employment of two hands toclose the window the retaining device may be modified by the omission ofthe roller N, and its ratchet and pawl from the clamping member H andthe substitution for it of a pad h (see Figs. 12 and 13) of rubber orthe like fixed in a longitudinal groove it formed in the nose of themember H. In this modification the construction in other respects issimilar to that described in reference to Figs. 3 to 11, and in Figs. 12and 13 the corresponding parts are indicated by the same referenceletters distinguished by an accent mark.

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our saidinvention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declarethat what we claim is:-

1. In an improved mechanism for operating windows, in combination;-aslidable window; spring actuated means adapted to press the windowupwardly with a substantially uniform force sufiicient to overcome theweight of the Window and its resistance to sliding; a clamping memberadapted to engage with the window; a fixed member to from the window inopposition to the said spring means.

2. In an improved mechanism for o crating windows, in combinat1on;ashdable window; a lever pivotally fixed at one endand at the other endprovided with means engaging with the under side of the window; a springfixed at one end; a flexible member attached at one end to the sprmg andat the other 'end to the lever; a cam attached to the lever and over thecam surface of which the flexible member passes, the distance ofsuccessive points on the cam surface from the centre of motion beingsuch that there is produced at the free end of the lever, as a result ofthe pull of the spring on the lever, a substantially uniform upwardpressure on'the window suflicient to overcome the weight of the windowand its frictional resistance to sliding; a clamping member adapted toengage with the window; a fixed member to which the clamping member ispivoted on an axis parallel to .the plane of the window; spring meanspressing the clamping member into contact with the win dow; and meansadapted to move the clamping member away from the window in 0ppositionto the said spring means.

3. In an improved mechanism for operating windows, in combination ;--ashdable window; spring actuated means adapted to press the windowupwardly with a substantially uniform force sufiicient to overcome theweight of the window and its resistance to sliding; a clamping member; afixed member to which the clamping member is pivotally attached on anaxis parallel to the plane of the window; sprin means adapted to pressthe clamping mem r into contact with the window; and means for movingthe clamping member in opposition to the spring means, comprising ahandle-cam pivotallyv mounted on one of the said members so that the camengages the other said member.

4. In an improved mechanism for operating windows, in oombination;ashdable window; spring actuated means adapted to press the windowupwardly with a substantially uniform force suflicient to overcome theweight of the window and its resistance to sliding; a clamping memberadapted to engage with the window; a fixed member to which the clampingImember is pivoted on an axis parallel to t e plane of the window; anengaging surface on the clamping member disposed laterally relatively tothe pivoting axis; a handle-cam pivotally attached to the fixed member,and adapted, by eng ement with the said surface to turn 51a clampingmember away fromthe window.

5. In an improved mechanism for operat- 7 ing windows, in combination;ashdable window; sprmg' actuated means adapted to press the windowupwardly with a substantially uniform .force sufiicient to overcomethewelght of the window .and itsresistance to sliding; a clamping member; afixed- I member to which the clamping member is pivotally attached on anaxis parallel to the plane of the window; spring means adapted to turnthe clamping member about its pivot towards the window; means ada ted toretract the clamping member from t e window in opposition to the said sring means; and means on the clamping evice adapted, when the latter isnot retracted, to

retain the. window in position but whichyield and permit movement of thewindow inone'directionwhen force acting in that directionis applied tothe window.

6. In an improved mechanism for operating windows, in combination ;aslidable window; spring actuated means adapted to press the windowupwardly with a substantially uniform force suificient to overcome theweight of the window and its resistanceto sliding; a clam ing member; afixed member to which t e clamping member is pivotall attached on anaxis parallel to the plane 0 the window; a roller on the clam ing memberrotatable about an axis par e1 to the plane of the window and adapted toenga c with the window; means for preventing e rotation of the roller inthe one direction; spring means adapted to turn the clamping memberabout its pivot and press the roller into contact with the window; andmeans adapted to move the clam ing member and said roller away from t ewindow in opposition to the said spring means.

7. In an improved mechanism for operating windows; in combination ';-ashdable window; spring actuated means adapted to press the windowupwardly with a substantially uniform force suflicient to .overcome theweight of the window and its resistance to slidin a clamping member; afixed member to w 'ch the clam ing member is pivotally attached on anax1s parallel to the plane of the window; a roller on the clampingmember rotatableabout an axis parallel to the plane of the window andadapted to engage with the window; a ratchet on the said roller; aspring controlled pawl on the clamping member adapted to preventrotation of the ratchet and roller in the 'one direction; spring meansadapted to turn the clamping member about its ivot and press the rollerinto contact with t e window; and

means ada ted to move the clam ing member and said roller away from t ewindow in opposition to the said spring means.

8. In an improved mechanism for operating the windows of vehicle doors,in combination ;--a door; a window slidable therein a lever located .inthe door space laterally clear of the 'adjustably fixing one end of thespring to r the door frame; a flexible member attached at one end to thespring and at the other.

end to the lever; a cam attached to the lever and over the cam surfaceof which thefiexible member passes, the distance of successive points onthe cam surface from the cen-.-

tre of motion being such that there is produced between the roller andthe under side of the window, as a result of the pull of the spring onthelever a substantially uniform upward force sufficient to overcome theweight of the window and its'resistance to sliding; a clamping member; afixed mem-' berscrewed. to the door frame, to which member the clampingmember is pivotally attached on an axis parallel to the plane of thewindow; a roller mounted on the clamping member on an axis parallel tothe plane ofthe window and adapted to engage the window; means forpreventing the rotation of the roller in a direction corresponding withthe upward movement of the window; spring means pressing the clampingmemher so as to force the roller into contact with v the window; andmeans for moving the clamping member and the roller away from the windowinopposition to the said spring means.

9. In an improved mechanism for operating the windows of vehicle doors,in combination ;a door; a window slidable therein; a lever located inthe door space laterally clear of the plane of sliding of the window;one end of which lever is mounted on a pivot carried from the door;frame; a

plane ofsliding of the window,

roller on the freeend of the lever engaging with the underside of thewindow; a spring; means for adjustably fixing one end of the spring tothe door frame; a flexible member attached at one end to the spring andat the other end to the door; a cam attached "to the lever andtover, thecam surface of which the flexible member passes, the distanceofsuccessive points on the cam surface from the centre of motion beingsuch that there is produced between the roller i and the under side ofthe window, as a result of the .pull of the spring on the lever, a

substantially uniform upward force suflicientto overcome the Wei ht ofthe window and its resistance to sli ing; a clamping member; a fixedmember screwed to the door frame, to which member the clamping mem berispivotally attached on an axisparallel to the plane of the window; aroller mounte'd on the clamping member on an axis parallel to the .planeof the window and adapted to en age the window; means for preventing t erotation, of the roller in a direction corresponding .withthe upwardmovement of the window; spring means pressing the clamping member so asto force the roller into contact with the window; a web attached to theclamping member the plane of which web is disposed laterally of thepivoted axis, said web being slotted to form an engaging surface; and ahandle-cam-the cam portion of which is located in said slot and engageswith the said surface.

;In testimony whereof wealfix our signatures in presence of twowitnesses.

BENJAMIN- WILLIAMS ROBERTS. JAMES ERNEST HODSON.

Witnesses:

J. E. LLOYD BARNES, JAMES C. 'MoRAn.

